Kiss made history during the last show of their farewell tour by revealing their ‘new era’ as a virtual band. The grand finale took place at the monumental Madison Square Garden on December 2, marking a significant moment in the band’s legacy. The virtual transition positions Kiss as the first U.S. band to embark on such an innovative journey.
In a dramatic encore, the remaining members—founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, alongside guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer—left the stage, only to introduce their new digital avatars. The digital counterparts then delivered a powerful performance of “God Gave Rock and Roll to You.”
Sharing the news on social media, the band declared, “Today, A New Era Begins. #KISSARMY, the end is only the beginning! KISS has been immortalized and reborn as avatars to rock forever.”
According to reports from the Associated Press, these avatars were crafted by George Lucas’ renowned special effects company, Industrial Light & Magic. The collaboration also involved Pophouse Entertainment Group, co-founded by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, solidifying Kiss’s groundbreaking shift into the virtual realm.